In The Name Of The Mother

by Brian Cain

CHAPTER THREE

  Jacques Fonteyn settled in London after the Second World War with his new wife, young and fresh from the battlefields of Europe he took a position with the French Secret Service synchronising French and British military intelligence located in the streets of Westminster, there he met Lance Stanton John Stanton's father.

  His daughter Bella Elizabeth Fonteyn was born a year into his placement negotiating with the British, she was born a British citizen. As things progressed a riff developed between Fonteyn and the French government, they claimed his years in England had affected his French patriotism accusing him of leaking top-secret information to British authorities. Fonteyn was torn between his country of birth and the country of his daughter's birthright. His daughter's upbringing had been within the British military schooling system and when asked to return to France with her parents Bella refused, she considered herself British. Her father realised that many hours spent with Bella his only child, teaching her how to shot, hide and protect the history of democracy had come home to roost. Just like Lance Stanton it was all he knew and together they held their children in a time capsule producing a young man and women unlike any other branded with patriotic creed and relentless compulsion. Their labours now threatened the lives of their son and daughter the very thing their hard work was invested to avoid; they felt their efforts were initiated with great intellect and ability but little wisdom. Jacques Fonteyn stood down from his position with the French Secret Service, changed his name and became part of MI6 in an effort to retain the affection of his only child.

  At his inner London terraced home in the flamboyant suburb of Paddington, he had a visit from his daughter he had dreaded put at the back of his mind convinced it would never happen. John Stanton had attended the same school as Bella, she fell hopelessly in love with John Stanton from an early age whom only had eyes for a classmate named Jodi Simpson. Bella Fonteyn and Jodi Simpson battled for playground supremacy in the efforts to attract boys in early puberty, when Fonteyn and Stanton were redirected to military boarding school Stanton had already made up his mind he would marry the long haired fair maiden Jodi Simpson as he was hopelessly in love with her. Jodi Simpson and John Stanton parted company on a street corner after year four of high school, Stanton told Jodi he was going to university in north London to far from home to be able to travel but he would return during holidays and they would spend all the time together. He kept his promise but Bella was always waiting in the background for a hiccup she prayed for between the two lovers but it didn't happen.

  Upon finishing boarding school Stanton returned home and married his sweetheart, she had no idea that even in his late teens his father had made sure he avoided regular army service and was grafted into MI6. Bella was humble but devastated; she disappeared for a few years but turned up in the corridors of power in Westminster working as an agent investigating male politicians suspected of leaking information to the eastern block and beyond the iron curtain. When Stanton passed by or was in Bella's presence there was always an uneasy atmosphere. While at boarding school Stanton had an affair with the ravishing beauty Bella Elizabeth Fonteyn, on the last day of boarding school after a party John Stanton slept with Bella the first women he ever made love to. She apologised the next day explaining she had purposely set about seducing Stanton, something she was to become very good at and enjoyed unlike Jodi whom remained a virginal until her wedding night and never touched another man until there marriage was over.

  Jodi Simpson was her best friend and she battled with the truth hidden forever behind training that would see no one left behind. Bella was Jodi's bridesmaid during the low-key wedding in a registry office in inner London only days after Bella's passionate encounter with her new husband. Stanton felt for Bella as she appeared sick attending the toilet in an attempt to throw up on several occasions. Stanton blamed himself for the Bella's stress and held himself responsible for her plight.

  Jacques Fonteyn saw his daughter climbing from her car outside in the rain from the comfort of the bay window in his lounge room. He informed his wife of her presence and they greeted her at the door. They settled in the lounge and after brief pleasantries Bella made an announcement. Her parents were in later years and she attempted to cloak the news with sugar.

  Bella put down her cup of tea and nonchalantly smiled at her father, his tired eyes beamed at the long black haired slender beauty of which he was so proud. They often spoke French when at home. "J'ai eu un nouveau poste." 'I have been given a new position.'

  Her father knew her well and sensed pretence in her manner. "Quelque chose qui permet de voir plus de l'autr." 'Somthing that will allow us to see more of each other.'

  Bella nervously stirred her remaining tea hesitating a few seconds. "No Vous ne me verrez pas pendant un certain temps." 'No you will not see me for some time.'

  Her father sat back in his lounge chair holding his hands together with a look of inquisition. "À l'étranger?" 'Overseas.'

  "Peut-être parfois." 'Perhaps sometimes.'

  "Vous n'êtes pas au travail Bella vous sommes Accueil nous n'avons pas de secrets." 'You are not at work Bella you are home we have no secrets.'

  "Ce n'est pas ce que je fais, mais que je le fais avec c'est dur pour vous." 'Its not what I'm doing but whom I do it with that's hard for you.'

  Jaques folded his arms with a stern look, he glanced at this wife then back to Bella. "John Stanton."

  Bella looked down. "Oui." "Yes."

  Jaques rubbed his eyes then looked into space. " Si la personne que j'ai peur que vous avez participé avec il vous attire." 'If the one person I fear you involved with he draws you in.'

  Bella sprung to his defence. " Il n'était pas John, j'ai été proche de la Dame de fer et elle a suggéré, que j'ai déplacer le rôle. Je n'avais aucune idée John a participé jusqu'à ce que j'ai été informé, il ne change rien je veux le faire." 'It was not john, I have been close to the Iron Lady and she suggested I move role. I had no idea John was involved until I was briefed, it changes nothing I want to do this.'

  Jaques blew full lungs of air through his lips shaking his head. " J'ai jamais remis en question ce que vous voulez faire, mais c'est la folie." 'I have never questioned what you wish to do but this is lunacy.'

  "Si je veux réussir y at-il une meilleure personne que je peux suivre." 'If I am to succeed is there a better person I can follow.'

  Jaques nodded with a deep pout. "Et que dire de vos coeurs, Stanton n'est pas immunisé contre les effets de votre relation. Et que dire de la sombre secret qui pourrait détruire l'âme d'une amende l'homme et vous apportent tous les deux à genoux." 'And what of your hearts, Stanton is not immune to the affects of your relationship. And what of the dark secret that could destroy the soul of a fine man and bring you both to your knees.'

  Bella looked out the window her eyes began to moisten. " Nous sommes assez forts pour faire cela. J'ai entendu John écho dans mon esprit, l'information est sur un besoin de savoir de base et il a besoin sais pas comment je me sens autour de lui. Il n'est pas dans l'amour avec moi, il aime une autre que j'ai traité avec lui." 'We are strong enough to do this. I hear John echo in my mind, information is on a need to know basis and he need not know how I feel about him. He is not in love with me, he loves another I have dealt with it.'

  " Je connais le père de John Stanton très bien et je sais que son fils. Il ne permettra pas que la dégradation d'une femelle. Je n'ai aucun peur de ce qui va arriver à vous, vous pourriez être pas dans les meilleures mains. J'ai peur de ce qui va arriver à la mise en place devrait une femelle dans soins chute victime de John Stanton du système, en particulier celui appelé Bella Elizabeth Fonteyn. Deux femmes de l'amour de John Stanton, vous êtes l'un d'entre eux, ne sous-estimez pas ce qu'il va faire pour vous dans les moments difficiles." 'I know John Stanton's father very well and I know his son. He will not allow the degradation of a female. I have no fear of what will happen to you, you could not be in better hands. I fear what will happen to the est
ablishment should a female in John Stanton's care fall victim to the system, especially one called Bella Elizabeth Fonteyn. John Stanton love's two women you are one of them, don't underestimate what he will do for you in difficult times.'

  Bella looked drained and upset. " Le père s'il vous plaît." 'Father please.'

  "Et que dire de votre mari et fils." 'And what of your husband and son.'

  " Gerad et moi avons cassé vers le haut, nous havent été ensemble depuis des mois maintenant." 'Gerard and I have broken up; we haven't been together for months now.'

  Jaques folded his arms looking solem. " Pourquoi vous marié lui nous n'avons aucune idée, votre fils a un père que vous pourriez ont abordé cette année il y a" 'Why you married him we have no idea, your son has a father you could have tackled this years ago.' Bella looked away saying nothing, Jaques waited for a few seconds then stood up. "Ce qui doit être sera, je vous préviens, vous pouvez libérer le dragon de St George si vous êtes jusqu'à ce que je pense que vous êtes." 'What shall be shall be, I warn you, you may unleash the dragon of St George if you are up to what I think you ar"' Bella avoided Jaques gaze, she got to her feet and embraced her father. " Aller avec ma bénédiction et que Dieu ait pitié de leurs âmes et tout cela au nom de l'amour." 'Go with my blessing and may god have mercy on their souls and all in the name of love.'

  Bella gathered her bag, kissed her mother leaving with a silent beaming smile. They watched her car pull away from the house slowly fading from sight. Bella's mother was upset. " Pourquoi ne pas vous arrêter son Jacques." 'Why don't you stop her Jacques."

  Jacques put his arm around her and held her tight beside him as they looked out the window. He laughed under his breath. "L'arrêter, si nous avons essayé de l'arrêter en mendiant lui elle serait devistated. Si je cesse de lui par la porte de derrière qui vous pensez que nous s'occuperait à la porte quelques minutes." 'Stop her, if we tried to stop her by begging her she would be devastated. If I stop her via the back door whom do you think we would be dealing with on the doorstep within minutes.'

  "John."

  "Oui John Stanton."